In 2026, composite decking in the UK usually costs somewhere between £37 and £92 per square metre for the boards on their own, and roughly £80 to £200 per square metre once it is fully fitted. Our own boards start at £11.70 each, which works out at about £35 per square metre, and a complete DIY kit with all the clips and fixings starts at £234.99 for a 4 square metre deck.

That is a wide spread, and it catches a lot of people out. The price swings depending on the quality of the board, whether it is capped or uncapped, what you build the frame from, and whether you are paying someone to fit it or doing it yourself. We sell to homeowners and trade right across the country, so instead of a vague “it depends”, here is exactly where the money goes.

What does composite decking cost per square metre?

For the boards alone, most UK suppliers sit in the £37 to £92 per square metre range. The cheaper end is usually thinner, uncapped or hollow board. The top end is solid, capped board with the longest warranties. Here is roughly how it breaks down:

Our standard Woodsman boards come in at the bottom of that table for a reason. We buy and sell in volume as a direct supplier, so there is no middleman markup sitting on top. For most gardens they are all the board you need. If you want the extra hard-wearing cap, our Elite range steps up to the premium tier alongside the capped boards above.

How much is a full composite decking kit?

If you would rather not work out board counts and clip ratios yourself, a kit does it for you. Ours start at £234.99 including VAT for a 4 square metre deck and run up to 66 square metres. Every decking kit comes pre-packed with the right number of boards, all the stainless fixing clips and screws, and a PZ drill bit to speed up the install, with free or discounted delivery depending on your zone and a 15-year guarantee on the boards.

The bigger the kit, the better the price per square metre, because the fixed costs get spread across more board. A kit also takes the labour cost out completely if you are fitting it yourself, and that is where most of the saving on a composite deck actually comes from.

What goes into the total cost? The bits people forget

The boards are only part of it. When you are budgeting, factor in:

• The subframe. You need something to fix the boards to. Treated timber joists cost around £17 per square metre of decking, and you need roughly 7 linear metres of joist for every square metre. Composite joists cost more up front but will never rot, which is worth it if the deck is going in for the long haul.
• Fixing clips. You need about 23 clips per square metre. These are already in our kits, so it is only a separate cost when you buy boards on their own.
• Trims and finishing. Fascia board, corner trims and step nosing are what make a deck look finished rather than just fitted. They are optional, but they are the difference between a tidy job and a smart one.
• Delivery. Always worth checking. Ours is free or discounted on kits depending on where you are.
• Labour, if you are not doing it yourself. A fitter will usually charge somewhere around £200 to £250 a day. A straightforward deck on level ground goes quicker than one with steps, changes of level or awkward access.

Is composite decking cheaper than timber?

Up front, no. Timber boards are cheaper to buy. Over ten or fifteen years, composite usually wins, and it is not close. Timber needs sanding, oiling or staining most years, and even then a softwood deck often has boards going soft before it is a decade old. Our composite carries a 15-year guarantee and a realistic life of 25 to 30 years with nothing more than the odd wash. Once you add up a decade of treatment, lost weekends and replacement boards, the timber deck that looked cheaper rarely is.

How do I work out the cost of my own deck?

Start with the area. Measure the length and width in metres, multiply them together, and that is your square metres. Multiply that by 3.03, which is how many of our boards cover a square metre, to get your board count. Add your clips at roughly 23 per square metre, then your subframe.

Here is a real one. A 4 metre by 3 metre deck is 12 square metres. That is about 37 boards, so roughly £433 in boards, or you can grab the 12 square metre kit and have the boards and fixings turn up together. On top of that you would budget for your joists and any trims.

If you would rather skip the sums, our decking calculator works it all out for you, and a free sample pack lets you see and feel the boards in your own light before you spend a penny. If you get stuck, give us a call. The advice is free, and we would sooner you ordered the right thing once than the wrong thing twice.